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Design of the Buick Reatta
Reatta's styling effort began in
July 1982, mostly as a reaction to the decision to outsource the Allanté design
to Italy's Pininfarina. "That upset the guys at Design Staff," says
David North, who headed GM's Advanced Design 2 studio at the time. "They
were insulted that Cadillac would go to another designer to get their car done,
so they said, 'OK, we'll show them what we could have done,' and they held a
contest. They had all the young designers propose a two-place car, and Dave
McIntosh, who worked for me, won."
When Reuss saw the McIntosh model, he wanted it as the theme for Buick's
two-seater. But it was "soft" and elliptical, while the E-car chassis
was blunt. "We had a cartoon in the studio that illustrated our
dilemma," North relates. "It showed a plan [top] view of this
rectangular chassis with this almost circular car on it. There were big red
marks where it interfered and four holes -- two in front, two in back -- where
the corners of the frame stuck out. They couldn't modify the chassis, and it
wouldn't fit under the body. Everyone said, 'It's never going to work.'"
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Irv Rybicki, who replaced the legendary Bill Mitchell as GM's vice president
for design in 1977, grew weary of this struggle. "Irv called me up to his
office," North recalls.
"'If you can't get that rounded jelly bean look out of that car and start
making it make sense with some lines on it,' he said, 'I'm going to take that
project away from you.' That afternoon I went out to the Proving Grounds for a
competitive product show, and the new Porsche 944 was there. Porsches were
always rounded, soft cars, but that one had stiff lines on it. I went back to
the studio and told one of the designers, Ted Polak, to put creases on the
Reatta, which ended up running the length of the car."
Another inspiration came from another Porsche: "One thing that made the
911 different," he says, "was the taillight that ran all the way
across the back. So we did that on the Reatta. That taillight has about a dozen
bulbs in it, and Buick came in and said, 'Why do we need all those lights?'
They didn't like it because it cost more money. I said this car has to look
different, has to have some recognition." The full-width taillamp (with 14
bulbs) made the cut.
Reatta's design program was
unique in that it started and stayed in the advanced studio instead of moving
to a production studio once approved. "In the Reatta's case, no one took
it seriously or thought it would actually go to production, so it stayed and
was pretty much released from the advanced studio," says North.
"This was unusual because the makeup of an advanced studio was heavy on
creative designers and sculptors, where the production studio has a lot more
engineering in it. The division sent down a team of production engineers and
stationed them in the studio to work directly with us, so when a problem came
up, they could tackle it right away."
The need to fit Reatta's round-cornered body on a squared-off Riviera chassis
shortened by 9.5 inches resulted in an unusually long overhang ahead of the
front wheels. "In side view, you see an exaggerated proportion ahead of
the front wheel," North points out.
"The old classic cars look good because they have a lot of 'dash-to-axle'
[from the base of the windshield to the front axle] and a short rear end, which
gives an elegant look. The Reatta has a normal dash-to-axle and a short rear
end, but there's a lot of front overhang because of the frame, so it's kind of
unusual."
Partly because he grew up on western ranches, partly because he remembered the
movie Giant, which took place on the Reata Ranch, North came up with
the name "Reata," a Spanish-American term for lariat, and it stuck.
Salata added the second "t" for appearance. When North was promoted
to chief designer of Oldsmobile's production studio, John K. "Kip" Wasenko
took over the Advanced 2 studio and completed the production design.
Engineering and Birth of the Buick Reatta
Buick Reatta chief engineer
Randy Wightman had a good powertrain and platform to start with, but the
turmoil of GM's massive 1984 reorganization, combined with an unusually high
level of industry-wide engineering activity at the time, made resources tight
inside and outside GM.
Thus, program manager Frank Colvin assembled a multinational consortium to get
the Reatta done. From England, he chose Hawtal-Whiting for product engineering
and Lamb Sceptre for manufacturing engineering. Japan's Ogihara Iron Works was
chosen for die design and engineering.
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Prototypes built by Aston Martin Tickford using body parts from Abbey Panels
(both in England) were tested at GM's UK Proving Ground. Dynamic development
was done in the U.S. by Cadillac engineers because, as Buick Engineering was
folded into BOC in 1986-1987, the program transferred to Cadillac (the only GM
divisional engineering group that kept its brand identity, for a while); it
retained responsibility for its own as well as Buick's and Olds' E-cars.
Among other good things, this development work resulted in some added
engine-compartment structure that made Reatta a crisper-cornering car than its
Riviera parent.
Wightman's biggest challenge was coordinating all these activities in various
parts of the world. "We ended up doing so many things in so many different
places," he says, "that it required a lot of travel, phone
conferencing, and fax communications. We had language and geographic barriers,
and cultural barriers even where we spoke the same language."
Another major challenge -- because the E-car plant didn't need the added
complexity of Buick's small-volume specialty coupe -- was finding a facility
and developing a process for building the car. The eventual answer was a novel
concept: a dedicated "Craft Centre" in a 50-year-old former axle
foundry and forging plant in Lansing, Michigan.
Here, the Reatta would be virtually handmade by groups of
"craftspeople" working in "stations" instead of along a
moving assembly line. This low-investment process was developed and managed by
J. Robert "Bob" Thompson, who succeeded Colvin as program manager.
1988 and 1989 Buick Reatta
When Reatta was finally ready
for a January 1988 launch, Reuss was heading up CPC, Ed Mertz (his former chief
engineer) was Buick general manager, and Qualman was advertising director under
general marketing manager Darwin Clark. Meanwhile, I had jumped on board to team
with Gustin and establish a Los Angeles-based western media relations office.
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Our challenge was to help members of the media understand this very different
new Buick and convince them to comment kindly about it. "We had to work
through a few dilemmas," Gustin recalls.
"One was that we could not call this a sports car, even though it was a
two-seater and a convertible was coming, because we sold it to management not
as a sports car but a luxury two-seater. The idea was that it would look sporty
yet provide a more elegant driving impression, you could drive it all day and
be comfortable, and there was enough trunk space for a weekend or so."
We held a magazine preview in Santa Barbara, California, in November 1987 to
educate key editors on the car and its mission -- a Mercedes SL-like
luxo-coupe, not a Corvette-like sports car -- and send them out for a day of
driving on some beautiful mountain roads.
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Reatta took its public bows the first week of January at the Los Angeles auto
show and was well-received. Except for the expected complaints on the
instrument panel and its CRT electronic control center, which most writers
already disliked in the Riviera, the magazine reviews were mostly positive.
"The rigidity of its body is noteworthy," wrote Car and Driver's
Rich Ceppos. "Push the Reatta to its limit in a corner and you'll find
that its grip is good, too ... [It] actually moves along pretty well, posting a
0-60 time of 9.1 seconds and a top speed of 122 mph. Meanwhile, it keeps wind
and mechanical noise commendably low."
"We savored every minute in the Reatta's saddle," wrote Automobile's
John Phillips III. "Just as important, we admire Buick for the audacity to
build this car." Added AutoWeek's James D. Sawyer: "We are encouraged
by what this car says about Buick and, by extension, General Motors ... The
Reatta is a car that delivers what it promises. It is an honest car. It has
more than sufficient room to carry two people and their luggage long distances
in comfort. It rides, handles and drives competently. Confidently. It is solid.
It feels of a piece."
Newspaper reviews also tended toward the positive. "The Reatta has a
pleasing, contemporary shape that causes heads to swivel," Paul Lienert
wrote in the Detroit Free Press. "The more time I spend behind
the wheel, the more attached I become to this jaunty two-seater." Lienert
praised the car's steering, its roomy cabin, and its "superb" leather
bucket seats.
"The absence of a high-performance engine, five-speed gearbox and other
exotic hardware makes the Reatta non-threatening to folks who like the car's
sporty looks but don't necessarily want to deal with the idiosyncrasies of a
real 'sports car,'" he concluded.
Recalls Gustin, "The main questions in my mind were: Will the press buy
this as a luxury two-seater? Is it luxurious enough? Will we get beat up
because it looks like a sports car but doesn't have super power? The answers
were: They did buy it as a luxury two-seater, and because we didn't sell it as
a sports car, we weren't beat up because it wasn't."
Though its volume target was low, Reatta's importance as an image and showroom
traffic-enhancer was high. "We had a concerted team effort working to have
a new way of bringing the Reatta story to the public," marketing manager
Clark says. "We tied it in with the people working at the Craft Centre,
and did a special commercial and a promotion with the dealers. The entire Buick
organization worked extremely hard to ensure the success we needed."
At $25,000, the Reatta was higher-priced than originally intended -- partly
because E-car componentry had risen in cost -- but boasted nearly every
conceivable feature as standard equipment. The only options were a power
sunroof and a 16-way power driver seat. Just 4707 of the 1988s were built,
followed by 7,009 '89s as sales slowed when initial demand was satisfied and
the base price inflated to $26,700.
1990 Buick Reatta
The 1990 Buick Reatta brought a much-improved instrument panel, with
electronic analog gauges replacing the CRT, and the long-awaited convertible,
which had been previewed along with the production coupe at the 1988 Detroit
show.
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Because the E-car had not been designed to have its top removed, it had taken
nearly two additional years to engineer more strength into the open-air
Reatta's structure.
The ragtop Reatta drew media raves for its beauty and character, but not for
its somewhat shaky body or its manual top, a complex design that narrowed in
width as it dropped into a well under a hard tonneau cover. Other changes
included the addition of an auxiliary power-steering cooler and a driver-side
airbag.
This was Reatta's biggest production year with 8,515 (2,132 of them
convertibles) assembled by the Craft Centre teams, but Buick's upscale two-seater
was proving a difficult sell in a soft market unkind to impractical image cars
in general.
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Clark commissioned a special task force to "rethink the way we were
marketing, advertising, and promoting Reatta. How do we focus on the target
market differently? How do we tell a story that's compelling enough to bring
people in to test drive and hopefully buy the car?"
It didn't help that the car was a major money-loser given its high cost, low
volume, and dedicated plant despite another price increase to $28,335 for the
coupe, and a whopping $34,995 introductory price for the convertible.
1991 Buick Reatta
Substantial improvements were
planned for the 1991 Buick Reatta and, despite some resistance from
resource-constrained Cadillac Engineering, which was struggling to save its own
more-expensive two-seater, arrived on time.
These included a 170-bhp Tuned Port Injection 3.8-liter V-6 coupled to an
electronically controlled four-speed automatic, larger wheels and tires, a
console cupholder, and, for the convertible, anti-shake add-ons and a power
pull-down for the top.
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Too late. On March 5, 1991, Lloyd Reuss (by then president of financially
ailing General Motors) announced that Reatta was canceled and a sophisticated
electric vehicle would eventually take its place at the Lansing Craft Centre.
Mertz, who had overseen the car's early development as Buick chief engineer and
launched it as general manager, had the unpleasant task of killing it halfway
into its fourth model year.
"The early Nineties were tough for GM," he relates. "J. T.
Battenberg became head of BOC and, as GM's financial difficulties mounted, he
let us know that all vehicles needed to be profitable, 'or else.' We made a
valiant effort to increase sales with some unique advertising, but I could see
that it was a losing cause and recommended that we discontinue it. It was an
emotional decision, but not a hard one, facing the facts."
Just 1,519 1991 Reattas were built before Mertz pulled the plug, 305 of them
convertibles. That brought the four-year total to 21,751 -- 19,314 coupes and
2,437 convertibles.
Everyone has opinions on why this unique and beautiful Buick ultimately failed:
too expensive; insufficient power and performance; delayed debut and flawed
execution of the convertible (no power top); target buyers too young and cool
to darken a Buick dealer's doorstep ... or even know where one was.
Reatta, in fact, was a finely styled, fully equipped,
delightful-to-drive, two-seat sporty car narrowly targeted at a select group of
buyers with discretionary income -- and a lot of alternatives at its hefty
price. It was also widely misunderstood.
Some expected a Buick "Corvette." Others, a lighter, less-expensive
sports car. In reality, it was a half-price Mercedes SL or Cadillac Allanté
luxury-tourer with no direct competitor save the dismal and short-lived
Chrysler TC by Maserati.
What ultimately killed it, like other two-seaters before and after it, was the
deadly combination of higher-than-expected cost, lower-than-projected volume,
and a dedicated plant totally dependent on it alone to pay the rent. After all,
how many two-seaters have turned a profit over time? Corvette, Porsche, Mazda
Miata, and ... ?
What if Swan and I had hated the car that spring day in Phoenix and told them
it would ultimately fail? Would that have altered the Buick team's plan, or
damaged its optimism enough to reconsider? Nah. Buick took the risk to create a
unique and desirable car and watched it sail proudly, until the market and
troubled times brought it down.
1990-1991 Buick Reatta: Consumer Guide Full Review
Vehicle Highlights
Based on a shortened Riviera platform, the front-drive two-seat Reatta was introduced in January 1988. Buick hoped to sell both coupe and convertible models at a clip of around 20,000 a year. Sadly, the convertible didn't arrive until 1990, and when Reatta production was haulted in 1991 total sales for all years combined was only 21,850. All models rode a 98.5-inch wheelbase, and shared an engine and interior design with the larger Buick Riviera. Styling cues included hidden headlamps and a bubbleback rear window. Sole powertrain was General Motors' 165-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 mated to a 4-speed OD automatic transmission. Four-wheel disc brakes with antilock control were standard. Reatta also inherited Riviera's electronic gauges and Electronic Control Center, which used a touch-sensitive display screen instead of conventional controls for climate, stereo, and other functions. Two options were available: sunroof and 16-way power driver's seat. Initially, cloth and leather interiors were offered, however only leather remained after the first season. Also added for 1989 was keyless entry. The convertible finally joined the coupe in 1990. It had a manual-folding soft top with a glass rear window and was the first convertible offered by Buick since the 1985 Riviera. Though the top was raised and lowered by hand, a power feature snugged it against the hard tonneau cover and the glass rear window had an electronic defroster. Coupes and convertibles got a driver-side airbag as standard equipment and the Electronic Control Center was replaced by conventional controls for the climate and stereo system. At the same time, electronic gauges were replaced by vacuum-fluorescent readouts that mimicked analog gauges.
Learn about the year-to-year changes of the 1990-1991 Buick Reatta. Get full details of the styling and performance changes throughout the history of the 1990-1991 Buick Reatta.
Year to Year Changes
1991 Buick Reatta: In its swan song, Reatta saw considerable change. The 3.8-liter V8 was revamped to produce 170 horsepower, and the 4-speed automatic was replaced by a similar unit featuring electronic controls. In an effort to improve acceleration the final drive ratio was shorter and 16-inch wheels replaced 15s. Only 305 convertibles were produced for '91 making it the most exclusive of all models.
Road Test
Our road test for the 1990-1991 Buick Reatta includes a full evaluation from the inside out. We've evaluated every aspect of the 1990-1991 Buick Reatta and highlighted the vehicle's performance with pros and cons. Use our comprehensive road test ratings to decide if this generation 1990-1991 Buick Reatta is right for you.
Consumer Guide® Road-Test Evaluation
With either engine, Reatta feels energetic. However, the revisions for '91 make it the fastest and smoothest-shifting of the bunch. Fuel economy is ho-hum with one tester averaging 17.2 mpg in a '91 convertible and another just 16.5 mpg in a '89 coupe. Early models suffered from a jittery ride because of their hard tires. The switch in '91 to softer rubber smoothed the ride considerably. However, Reatta's short wheelbase and nose-heavy design result in a lot of body pitching on wavy surfaces, so the suspension feels firm most of the time, but occasionally gets soft and loose. Reatta feels athletic around corners, with well-controlled body lean and good grip from the tires. The standard antilock 4-wheel disc brakes provide short true stops and offer a firm pedal feel. Steering suffers from some torque-steer in hard acceleration but has a natural, neutral feel on the highway. Inside, the luxurious Reatta has a full complement of standard features. Passenger space is good and cargo room is better than most in this class. We could do without the multifunction control stalk and distracting Electronic Control Center. Thankfully, both were remedied for '91 with greatly improved interior controls and gauges. Cowl shake on convertibles is a problem on bumpy roads. Fit and finish of early models is suspect, possibly owing to the car's hand-built nature. However, construction improved over time and many feel that the final Reattas were some of the best cars Buick built.
Value for the Money
Reatta is an attractive two-seater that can sprint to 60 mph in under ten
seconds and cruise comfortably among the country-club set. Its faults are
limited production and relatively high used-car prices. Avoid the early models
with the Electronic Control Center, and search out the much improved 1991
models.
Reliability
Our reliability study for this generation Buick Reatta includes details on average repair costs, manufacturer recalls, and everything you need to know to gauge the long-term reliability of this generation Buick Reatta .
Trouble Spots
Consumer Guide's® Auto Editors have scoured repair bulletins and questioned mechanics to search for commonly occurring problems for a particular vehicle. In some cases we also give possible manufacturer-suggested solutions. In many instances these trouble spots are Technical Service Bulletins posted by the manufacturer, however, we have our own expert looking at additional vehicle problems.
Automatic transmission: 4T60E transmissions may drop out of drive while cruising, shift erratically, or have no second, third, or fourth gear, because of a bad ground connection for the shift solenoids. (1991)
Cruise control: Cars equipped with vacuum-operated cruise control (as opposed to the Electro-Motor Cruise Control) may not maintain the proper speed due to a faulty vacuum servo. (1990-91)
Engine stalling: Cars with 3800 engines may stall when decelerating or be hard to start due to a faulty idle air control, which must be replaced. (1990)
Oil leak: The oil-pressure gauge may display an intermittent high reading due to a faulty oil-pressure sensor. (1990)
Oil leak: Oil leaks may be due to a defect in the oil pan and gasket, and the display may report a false low oil level due to a defective oil level sensor and/or deformed oil pan. (1990)
Transmission noise: An intermittent rattling noise at start-up is often caused by automatic transmission pump starvation or cavitation, or a sticking pressure-regulator valve. (1991)
Transmission slippage: Model 440-T4 or 700-R4 automatic transmissions may shift late or not upshift at all. The problem is a stuck throttle valve inside the transmission. (1990-91)
Consumer Guide®
Estimated Repair Costs
This table lists costs of likely repairs for comparison with other vehicles. The dollar amount includes the cost of the part(s) and labor (based on $50 per hour) for the typical repair without extras or add-ons. Like the pricing information, replacement costs can vary widely depending on region. Expect charges at a new-car dealership to be slightly higher.
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Item Name |
Repair Cost |
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A/C Compressor |
$465 |
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Alternator |
$265 |
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Automatic Transmission or Transaxle |
$985 |
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Brakes |
$230 |
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Constant Velocity Joints |
$870 |
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Exhaust System |
$430 |
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Radiator |
$410 |
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Shocks and/or Struts |
$1,300 |
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Timing Chain or Belt |
$225 |
Recall History
Learn about official auto recalls,
reliability issues, and vehicle problems for the 1990-1991 Buick Reatta
directly from the NHTSA and manufacturers.
1990: Brake indicator light may not illuminate properly, failing to warn driver of impending brake failure. Body computer module prom must be replaced.
1990: Forward airbag sensor may have been incorrectly constructed causing a delay in airbag deployment. Senors should be checked and/or replaced.
1990: Transaxle shift-control cable may disengage causing a loss of gear indicator reference and shift selector operation.
Other 2-Seater Roasters
1987–1993 Cadillac Allante
Trouble Spots:
Cold-starting problems: Hard starting when cold due to fuel injection
system pressure bleed-down. (1993)
Convertible top: Numerous
problems with convertible tops including: will not latch properly due
to problems with strikers (1990-93), rear interior lamp falls out (1990-91),
boot-well seal falls out (1990-91), stowage cover rattles (1990-93),
roof bows rattle (1990-93), rear bow is hard to latch due to problems
with the quarter glass (1990-92), and fabric wears due to rubbing while
stowed (1990-92).
Oil leak: Oil leaks at the filter adapter
on 4.6L Northstar engine. (1993)
Vehicle noise: Gas tank
makes sloshing sound because of the lack of baffles. (1993)
1984–1988
Pontiac
Fiero
Launched in 1983, the Pontiac Fiero promised to be a good-looking, affordable
mid-engine sports car, introducing exciting new techniques in production and
design. Alas, it proved to be one of GM's great disasters: overweight and
underpowered, tarnished by alarming reports of reliability problems and engine
fires. By 1988, more power, better looks, and a $30 million new suspension
brought the Fiero closer to its original promise — just in time for the
corporation to bring down the ax.
By the start of the 1986 model year, there were growing concerns about the
Fiero's reliability and safety. The engines ran hot even under normal
conditions, and overheating was a problem. Worse, the shallow sump of the
Fiero's Iron Duke engine held only 3 quarts (2.8 L) of oil, and the engine was
prone to oil leaks. More alarming were the reports of engine fires. In October 1983, two Fieros
caught fire during test drives at the GM proving grounds — one in front of Hulki
Aldikacti himself. By the end of 1985, GM had received 112 reports of engine
fires, mostly in 1984 models.
Mazada
MX-5 Miata 2-seater Roadster
1989–1997 First
Generation
Trouble Spots:
Consumer Guide's® Auto Editors have scoured repair bulletins and questioned
mechanics to search for commonly occurring problems for a particular vehicle. In
some cases we also give possible manufacturer-suggested solutions. In many
instances these trouble spots are Technical Service Bulletins posted by the
manufacturer, however, we have our own expert looking at additional vehicle
problems.
Audio system: If tapes get stuck in the Panasonic
radio/tape player, the unit must be removed and sent to a factory service
center. (1990)
Engine noise: Valve tapping or clicking is caused by
restricted oil flow through the hydraulic lash adjusters. Redesigned parts are
available. (1990-93)
Engine noise: A ticking noise from the top of the engine
is likely due to inadequate hydraulic lash adjusters for the valves. (1990-93)
Oil leak: Early models often developed an oil leak at the
plug in the drain pan unless the plug was tightened by hand with the gasket
squarely in place before snugging with a wrench. (1990)
Timing belt: There is a revised, more-robust timing-belt
tensioner pulley to replace the original. (1990-94)
Windows: The windows may not fully open because a cable
comes loose blocking the window's travel. (1992-94)
1999–2005 Second
Generation
2006–present Third Generation
Toyota
MR2
1984–1989
First generation
1990–1999
Second generation
Trouble
Spots:
Consumer Guide's® Auto Editors have scoured repair
bulletins and questioned mechanics to search for commonly occurring
problems for a particular vehicle. In some cases we also give possible
manufacturer-suggested solutions. In many instances these trouble spots
are Technical Service Bulletins posted by the manufacturer, however,
we have our own expert looking at additional vehicle problems.
Audio
system: Several problems with the sound system including CD player
that skips or fails to play due to lens distortion (1992), CD skips
or displays "ERR" (1992-92), cassette tapes will not eject
(1990), whining noise from the speakers produced by alternator (1991),
sound cuts out in cold weather (1991).
Audio system: The
dome light may not work, the door speakers may cut out or quit working,
and/or the radio may quit working because water gets into the wiring
harness and causes corrosion in the terminals. (1991)
Steering
problems: If power steering pump relay fails, power steering assist
may become excessive. (1991-95)
Vehicle noise: A clicking
or ticking noise, that sounds like a speedometer cable problem ,is caused
by the drive-motor circuitry requiring replacement. (1991)
2000–2007
Third generation
FORD
2002–2005
Ford Thunderbird (still
not cheap, over $10,000 for a used model)
and then there is of course the over priced Chevy Corvette and a few other high dollar foreign cars.
